Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has leant her support to Constance McMillen, the openly gay teen whose high school prom in Itawamba County was cancelled following a controversy over her sexuality.

“It’s always easy to be quiet, especially when you know somebody might tell you ‘no’ or it’s going to cause a scene,” Ellen told her on the show.

Ellen made her remarks after presenting Constance with a $30,000 check from herself and a Web site called Tonic.com to fund the student’s college education.

Tonic describes itself on its Web site as being "dedicated to promoting the good that happens each day around the world."

The latest controversy around the rights and freedoms of homosexuals in America made national news when Constance, 18, asked school authorities if she could attend her prom with her girlfriend.

Initially they said no, but then agreed that both girls could attend as long as they did not arrive together, did not make any public displays of affection, and did not dance together.

The Itawamba County school board then cancelled the prom, causing anger in the community in Mississippi, where the event is a high-point in the social calendar for most teens.

Constance has come under criticism from the community in the wake of the incident.

Appearing on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” to talk about the controversy, Constance said she had decided not to go to the prom anyway, “I was like, I’m not going to go to prom and pretend like I’m not gay, so there’s no point in me going.”

The prom remains cancelled.